In good news for pollinators and U.S. food supply, Court rejects bee-killing pesticide

Environment America

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of the chemical sulfoxaflor, one of class of pesticides linked to massive die-offs of bee colonies. In the coming years EPA is scheduled to review registrations of five other neonicotinoids that scientists say threaten pollinators. Environment America’s Margie Alt issued the following statement: 

“We rely on bees to pollinate everything from almonds to strawberries to the hay used to feed dairy cows. What happens if the bees disappear? It’s simple: No bees, no food. One less bee-killing pesticide on the market in the U.S. is good news for our pollinators and our food supply. Today’s decision should cue EPA to put a moratorium on this dangerous class of chemicals once and for all.”